NCJ Number
62687
Journal
Police Volume: 11 Issue: 11 Dated: (JULY 1979) Pages: 16-18,20
Date Published
1979
Length
4 pages
Annotation
ARGUMENTS AND GUIDELINES FOR THE CREATION OF A NATIONAL POLICE FORCE IN ENGLAND ARE PRESENTED.
Abstract
PRESENTLY, THERE ARE SOME 80,000 POLICE OFFICERS OUTSIDE LONDON IN 41 AUTONOMOUS FORCES, EACH OF WHICH IS DIFFERENT FROM THE OTHERS IN SIZE, TRAINING METHODS, QUALITY OF PERSONNEL, EQUIPMENT, AND PER CAPITA FUNDING. WITH INCREASED URBANIZATION, MOBILITY, AND THE EXPANSION OF SOCIOECONOMIC CONDITIONS CONDUCIVE TO CRIME, IT HAS BECOME APPARENT THAT POLICE FORCES OPERATING AUTONOMOUSLY WITHIN CHERISHED BOUNDARIES LACK THE KIND OF STRUCTURE NEEDED TO COPE WITH THE CRIMINALITY SPAWNED BY A COMPLEX, URBANIZED, TECHNOLOGICAL SOCIETY. A CENTRALIZED, NATIONAL POLICE FORCE ORGANIZED ON A REGIONAL BASIS IS DICTATED BY THE CHARACTER OF MODERN SOCIETY AND ITS PATTERNS OF CRIMINALITY. A 1962 ROYAL COMMISSION CONSIDERED THE ADVISABILITY OF A NATIONAL POLICE FORCE BUT FEARED THAT ALTHOUGH IT APPEARED TO BE A REASONABLE STEP IN LAW ENFORCEMENT REORGANIZATION, THE PUBLIC WOULD NOT ACCEPT IT BECAUSE OF ANXIETIES ABOUT A POLICE STATE. IT IS CLEAR FROM THE OPERATION OF NATIONAL POLICE FORCES IN SOME EUROPEAN COUNTRIES THAT SUCH POLICE FORCES PER SE ARE BENIGN. THE KEY IS TO SUBJECT POLICE SERVICES TO THE WILL OF THE MAJORITY. SHOULD A NATIONAL POLICE FORCE BE DEVELOPED IN ENGLAND, AS APPEARS LIKELY, IT WILL BE IMPORTANT TO MAINTAIN TIES BETWEEN LOCAL AUTHORITIES AND THE POLICE SERVING IN THEIR AREA. FURTHER, THE PRESERVATION OF THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE INDIVIDUAL OFFICER IN HIS OR HER INTERACTION WITH THE COMMUNITY IS ESSENTIAL IF THE VALUES OF THE PRESENT SYSTEM ARE TO BE CARRIED INTO THE REORGANIZATION. (RCB)